


The First Dance

by Re0rient



Series: Life Ain't a Fairytale [5]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-10-01
Updated: 2012-10-01
Packaged: 2018-01-01 10:44:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 873
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1043874
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Re0rient/pseuds/Re0rient
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There's hope for you yet.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The First Dance

People twirling, music blasting, awkward wallflowers off to the side. The feeling of repressed winter energy finally released into muggy spring air. The Masquerade. Another annual festivity with a long history no one remembers.

The sheriff loathes this holiday because masks, especially under the cloak of night, always seem to spawn trouble he has to deal with. But tonight he's not here as sheriff. He's left the deputy in charge.

Graham casts his gaze along the square, scanning the sea of masked forms as they ebb and flow in sync with the music.

Then he finds her.

Forever the only one clothed in red, the mask over her eyes is bedazzled with fake rubies and her milky breasts are popping out of a tight scarlet dress Granny definitely did not approve of.

Even at an event where anonymity is king, Ruby manages to stand out and let everyone know who she is. To distinguish herself as the problem child of the town. His problem, most of the time, because he's the one who tells Dr. Whale to back off, he's the one who finds her wasted in the dead of night and drags her home, he's the one who tows her car when it stalls at the border.

Everyone knows how much she hates her life-it's actually a running joke, her wanting out-but you'd never know how insecure she is if you saw her now, her confident smirk as multicolored masks surround her, all hoping to get lucky.

They're not going to.

He smirks as he cuts the line. "Care to dance?"

She whips around and recognition lights her eyes like she sees right through his basic mask. He wonders if his identity is that obvious, or if she just knows him that well. He chooses not to dwell on the fact that he hopes for the latter.

"Nice accent, stranger."

The jarring beats of rap and hip hop mellow out into R & B and she pushes her blue-clad dance partner away. The man huffs with disappointment. She's not looking. Her eyes are trained on Graham, the man in black, her lips curling into a smile as she nods. He pulls her into his arms and they sway together.

"It's been a while," he remarks.

She purses her lips into a mock frown. "Aww, did you miss me?"

"Maybe," he replies. This is how it's always been with them, uncertain and ambiguous and never acknowledging anything because they don't know anything, only unfounded, omnipresent feelings for one another. He eyes the glass wolf hung around her neck, tantalizing over her cleavage. "I see you've taken to wearing your lucky charm."

"Thought it'd keep me safe from creepers tonight." She stretches to look at the emptied space behind him and adds, "I guess you double as a lucky charm as well."

He ducks his head, an _honorable_ bow, a nod to a life they don't remember. "I try."

He doesn't notice Ruby roll her eyes. "No dog collar tonight?" She pretends to look around for the Mayor's watchful eye. "Boy toys are allowed to get a night off?"

"Of course," he chuckles. "I do need a break for my sanity."

"Sanity is overrated."

Somehow he feels like she's said that to him before, which is ridiculous because he remembers everything she says to him, and she has never said anything beyond serving food and mindless flirtation and incoherent rambling. But it's not the first time he's had this innate sense that he's missing something between themm. That's why he's here. He's doing what he's always done as sheriff. Investigating. Seeking out answers.

Gently, he slides his fingers down her side and lets them rest at her waist, where her curves mesh with the sheer material. He gets the feeling he's done that before.

"Careful," she says, her tone cautious, but she leans in so that their foreheads almost touch. "People would look down on a, ah, _public_ servant, doing that in _public_."

"And you?" he asks smugly.

"I'm looking up, aren't I?"

He twirls her around and draws her closer, his lips brushing against the top of her head. He smiles against her hair; the red and black pawns collide. "You look beautiful tonight," he murmurs. "I would say that everyday, except I'm not allowed to."

"Yes, because you've _never_ done something you weren't allowed," she responds, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Well, I suppose tonight, anything goes. No one would know."

A pause. A very pregnant one.

Then he kisses her, and now he knows he's done that before, whether he remembers or not. He could never forget her, this, them.

"Now what would others say if they saw you do that unmasked?" she taunts when they break apart, her breath warming his chilly lips.

"Inappropriate," he mutters before he kisses her again. "You?"

"Take me home with you, Sheriff."

"As you wish." He's never letting go. Not now that he's found her.

Their fingers intertwine. It's a perfect fit.

_In a sea of flowers, an evil queen chats with the most powerful man in the world._

_Why is it impossible to separate them for good? Why do they always find their way back?_

_Because that, dearie, is the power of true love._


End file.
